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T O P I C R E V I E W

Robert Pearlman

Progress M-20M launches to space station

Russia's Progress M-20M resupply craft launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Saturday (July 27) at 3:45 p.m. CDT (2045 GMT) on a four-orbit, six-hour flight to the International Space Station.

The Progress, the 52nd Russian unmanned craft to bring supplies to the ISS, made it to orbit and deployed its solar arrays as planned.

The cargo craft is scheduled to dock with the station's Pirs module at 9:26 p.m. CDT (1426 GMT July 28). It is loaded with nearly three tons of food, fuel, supplies and experiment for the six crew members living aboard the orbiting laboratory.

Included among the cargo are tools identified for possible repairs to the U.S. spacesuits on the station.

At the time of docking Progress M-20M and the station were flying 260 miles (418 kilometers) over the Pacific Ocean approaching the west coast of South America.

Robert Pearlman

Progress M-20M departs space station

Russia's Progress M-20M (52P) cargo spacecraft, which arrived at the International Space Station last July, undocked Monday (Feb. 3) from the Pirs docking compartment to clear the port for the arrival of a new Progress resupply vehicle on Feb. 5.

Loaded with trash, the unmanned Progress undocked at 10:21 a.m. CST (1621 GMT) and moved to a safe distance away from the station for several days of tests by Russian flight controllers on the effects of the extremes of heat and cold on the spacecraft.

The Progress will be deorbited Feb. 11 to burn up in the atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean.